Walt Disney: Things You Didn’t Know About Walt Disney

Disney’s first cartoon was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and not Mickey Mouse.

cartoon of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit riding a dog

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

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Oswald is strikingly similar to Mickey Mouse. He was born in 1927Out of an animation agreement between Universal Pictures.

Unfortunately, Walt Disney Oswald has lost the rightsUniversal started making animated shorts in 1928 without Walt. Walt and his team lost everything and had to find a new character. Mickey Mouse was born.

In 2006, Oswald was actually given the rights by Bob Iger, then-Disney CEO. After trading an ESPN sports announcerFor the black-and white cartoon character.

Mickey Mouse was originally named Mortimer Mouse, until Walt’s wife Lillian convinced him to change it.

Micky Mouse on top of a pile of papers

Mickey Mouse was not his original name.

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Lillian According to reports, he was convincedShe insisted on Mortimer’s name being changed. “too pompous,”That Mickey Mouse name would be more marketable.

Mortimer Since then, has evolvedMickey Mouse’s clever-cracking rival with an annoying catchphrase “ha-cha-cha!”

Walt Disney didn’t actually create the final Mickey Mouse design.

Walt Disney

Walt Disney and Mickey.

AP Photo


Walt Disney is Walt Disney. It didn’t actually createAccording to Dave Smith, Disney Archivist, the final design for Mickey Mouse. The original sketches and ideas he submitted for the famous rodent were not realized. Walt Disney Studios animator Ub IwerksWho animated the Mickey we love today?

In fact, Walt Disney reportedly never drew MickeyIt will not be signed unless the fan has requested it.

However, he was able to voice the character for more than two decades.

Walt Disney sitting next to an and animated Mickey Mouse.

Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse.

General Photographic Agency/Getty Images


Walt was not happy with how Mickey Mouse sounded when he made his cartoon debut back in 1929. He decided toMickey Mouse was the first to voice Mickey Mouse, and he did so until 1947 when he stated that he had become Too busy with his growing businessTo voice Mickey

Walt Disney was once Peter Pan in a school play.

An actress and actor flying in the air in a production of Peter Pan.

Peter Pan’s production.

NICOLAS MATETERLINCK/Getty Photos


Walt Disney was just a child when he played the part. Peter Pan in school playNearly four decades had passed before the beloved animated film would be made its big screen debut.

Disney was an ex-high school dropout.

Walt Disney works with a penguin actor during filming for a "Silly Symphony" cartoon in 1934

Walt Disney was an ex-high school dropout.

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Walt Disney was 16 years old when he made his debut. Dropped out of high schoolTo enlist in army. Unfortunately, he was caught while underage trying to join and had to settle for Volunteer with the Red Cross instead.

Walt Disney’s original animation studio went bankrupt within a year.

A young walt disney sitting in a chair at a table

The first Disney studio failed.

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Walt Disney founded his first animation studio in 1920. Laugh-oGramHe was based in Kansas City (Missouri), and produced animated cartoons that were inspired by fairy tales. One year later, the studio was shut down. Disney filed for bankruptcy.

Disney’s desire to make a feature-length animated movie was ridiculed.

A screenshot from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. where shes looking at a bird on her finger.

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

Walt Disney Studios


It’s hard to imagine a time when animated films were considered a ridiculous concept, but when Walt Disney set out to create the first feature-length cartoon in 1937 — “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” — He was laughed at.The industry became aware of the project as “Disney’s folly.”

He surprised everyone, however, when he did surprise us all. “Snow White” Premiered to packed houses, and Disney Awarded an honorary Academy Award(and eight Oscar statuettes: one normal-sized and seven dwarf-sized), for the breakthrough project, according to the Walt Disney Family Museum

The tables were soon turned — Walt Disney still holds the record for most Academy Award wins ever.

Walt Disney's eight Oscars (one regular-sized, and seven in miniature) for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves"

Walt Disney’s eight Oscar statuettes.

David McNew/GettyImages


Walt Disney won 32 Academy Awards over his entire career. The record for the most Oscars won is still held by him. According toThe Walt Disney Family Museum.

Disney’s success allowed him the opportunity to buy a home for his parents. But he was still guilt-ridden after his mother died from carbon monoxide poisoning at that house.

Black and white photo of Walt Disney's mother and father.

Walt Disney’s father, Walt Disney’s mother.

Apic/Getty Images


1938 was the year after the financial success “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,”Walt Disney and Roy Their parents were boughtA brand new house in North Hollywood

According to reports, his parents complained often about the furnace’s failure in their home. Flora, their mother, was a furnace repairman. Later, he died from carbon monoxide poisoningTheir father Elias survived the noxious fumes from the furnace.

Disney created propaganda cartoons for the United States government in World War II.

A screenshot of "The Spirit of '43" cartoon starring Donald Duck

“The Spirit of ’43″Cartoon starring Donald Duck

Walt Disney Studios


Walt Disney began creating propaganda cartoons after his animation studio lost half its staff to World War II. For the United States government, often featuring beloved Disney characters like Donald Duck fighting the Nazis.

During the Cold War’s Red Scare, he was also a vocal opponent to communism.

Walt Disney answers questions during a meeting of the House Un-American Activities committee

Walt Disney answers questions during an meeting of the House Un-American Activities Committee.


AP



Walt Disney is known for his hatred of communism. After they attempted unionization and went on strike, he began to accuse his own employees of being communists. According to Jim Korkis, Disney historian

He also testifiedYou can also use it as a “friendly witness”During the height of Red Scare, he identified one animator at a House Un-American Activities Committee meeting. FBI documents.

President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded Walt Disney a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Disney sitting at a table with a donald duck doll

Disney has won numerous awards.

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President Lyndon B. Johnson received1964: The Presidential Medal of Freedom for Disney Description of himYou can also use it as “artist and impresario, in the course of entertaining an age, he has created an American folklore.”

Disney was once the only person allowed to create a cartoon in Technicolor.

At one time, Disney was the only person who could legally make a cartoon in technicolor

The title card of a Donald Duck cartoon in technicolor.

Walt Disney Studios


Disney’s first Technicolor cartoon was produced in color in 1932.“Flowers and Trees,”From then on until the end 1935He had exclusive rightsTo use the new animation process in three colors. All other color cartoons were made using the outdated two-color process.

Walt Disney conceived the idea for Disneyland while sitting on a park bench and watching his daughters ride a Merry-Go-round.

The merry-go-round at Griffith Park with tress and the sky in the background

Griffith Park’s merry go-round.

AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images


According to the legend, Walt Disney often took his daughters to Griffith Park, Los Angeles. Walt was on a bench in the park watching his daughters ride the merry go-round when he had an epiphany about the possibility of creating a large park with multiple attractions for families.

Families still enjoy the Griffith Park merry go-round.It has been in existence for 91 years, and the bench in the park DisplayedThe Walt Disney Family Museum, Missouri.

Walt Disney bought the land to become Disney World under several false names in order to protect his identity.

disney world

Disney World.

John Raoux/AP


Rumours circulated that Walt Disney was planning to build an amusement park in the middle of the 1960s after Disneyland had achieved such a huge success. “east coast Disneyland.”Walt Disney was searching for a place to build his next theme park. We found the perfect swamplandsOrlando, Florida

Keep your records tamper-proof. He kept his purchase of 27,000 acres secret.Walt Disney faked it “shell companies”Tomahawk Properties, and appropriately named M.T. Lott Co. to keep his identity secret. A famous Orlando Sentinel headline proclaimed “We Say It’s Disney!”In an article that speculates about the mystery “Project X,”Or “The Florida Project,”This would soon be Walt Disney World.

He designed Main Street USA after the main street of his Missouri hometown.

Street view of Magic Kingdom and Cinderella Castle at Disney World.

View of Main Street, USA.

Charles Sykes/AP


Main Street, USA is Disneyland’s theme park, Walt Disney World. It should be a representation of every-town Americana. Walt Disney drew inspirationHe was born in Marceline, Missouri, his hometown when he was five years old. This is where he spent most of his childhood, from the time he was 5 through 9. The tiny rural community of less than 2,200 people describes itself as “a small, friendly town.” Walt Disney’s hometown.

Walt Disney lived in a secret apartment high above Main Street’s firehouse.

People gather to watch an actor on Main Street, USA in Disney world

Main Street, USA.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images


Disneyland’s most secretive secrets is Walt’s hideaway apartmentThis is where the Disney family would go to relax and entertain guests. It is located above Main Street’s Fire Department.

To this dayYou can still see the lamp burning in the window of the apartment at night and day to signify that “the boss”it is still there in spirit.

Disney invents audio-animatronics. The first one was displayed at the 1964 World’s Fair.

the exterior of hall of presidents at disney world

Disney’s Hall of Presidents.

Google Street View


You’ve probably been to a Disney park or even an amusement park. Chuck E. CheeseYou have seen Walt Disney’s audio-animatronics.

These human-like robots can blink, talk, move, and even — as later Disney modelsdemonstrate — interact with guests. The first audio-animatronicThis was an Abraham Lincoln figurine that was made specifically for 1964 World’s Fair. Later, it became the basis of Disney’s Hall of Presidents.

Walt Disney’s housekeeper was a multimillionaire due to the stock investments he made each year.

Walt Disney's housekeeper died a multimillionaire thanks to the stocks he gave her every year

Julie Andrews portrays Mary Poppins, 1964 film

Walt Disney Studios


Thelma was Thelma. Long-serving housekeeper for the Disney familyWalt, who was an integral part the family during her 30 year tenure. Walt She is often referred to asThe “real-life Mary Poppins.”

Walt Disney would give her Disney stock shares every year during the holidays. She died in 1994, just before her death.She had nearly $9.5 million in her possession, and the fortune was divided between her surviving heirs.

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